As a cosmetologist, you perform a variety of beauty services including hair, makeup, nails, and skin care for your clients. You not only provide the treatments and beauty services, but you may also be responsible for giving beauty advice and consultations. When you are working with someone’s outer beauty, most of your risks are associated with a beauty treatment or haircut going wrong. Other risks include providing a service that isn’t quite up to the client’s specifications or expectations, whether due to miscommunication or another reason. When working as a cosmetologist, you should acquire cosmetologist insurance that will offer protection against these and other risks.
Cosmetologist General Liability Insurance
If cosmetologists choose just one type of insurance policy, it should be general liability. Cosmetologists are exposed to a number of risks that will generally be covered under general liability, as listed below:
- Bodily Injury – Any type of bodily injury to a client while receiving treatments by the cosmetologist, or while the person is in the salon of the cosmetologist, can be considered a risk exposure because of the potential to sue the cosmetologist for medical costs.
- Property Damage – Another common liability covered under general liability insurance is property damage. If during an accident or natural disaster, property damage to a client’s property or personal belongings, the cosmetologist can be responsible for the costs of repairs or replacements.
- Premises Liability – Premises liability covers both bodily injury and property damage that is done while the client is on the premises of the cosmetologist’s office. For example, a broom left in the walkway can cause a client to fall and hurt themselves, which they may in turn sue the cosmetologist for the oversight.
- Products Liability – Under general liability insurance, products liability is often included, which covers the costs of a beauty product harming the client. For example, if the cosmetologist sells a skin care product that contains an ingredient which causes them an allergic reaction, the cosmetologist can be responsible for this.
- Completed Operations – Completed operations includes anything that occurs after the beauty client has received their treatments. For example, if a client gets her eyebrows waxed, and an hour or so later find that the redness turned into a skin burn, she may instigate a lawsuit.
Cosmetologist Professional Liability Insurance
Risks associated with the work of cosmetology require you to have a professional liability policy. Professional liability insurance covers instances where you are responsible for costs as a result of the work you did, such as coloring a client’s hair that didn’t turn out how she wanted and then had to pay to get it corrected.
Cosmetologist Business Owners Policy
Cosmetologists need a business owners policy, also called a BOP, that combines a variety of coverages into one insurance policy. The business owners policy may cover any number of things such as buildings and contents if your business or supplies are damaged from a natural disaster, business income and extra expense, electronic data if it is damaged during an accident or disaster, constructed buildings that were acquired recently, or dishonesty of employees, such as a worker that stole money or goods from your salon.
Cosmetologist Commercial Auto Insurance
If you use a vehicle for business purposes, such as if you work as an independent contractor and visit client’s homes for cosmetology services, or you use a vehicle for picking up beauty supplies for your business, you need a commercial auto insurance policy. Commercial auto covers bodily injury and damage to your vehicle in the case of an accident, as well as theft and vandalism of your vehicle.
Cosmetologist Workers Comp
Most states in the US require workers compensation insurance if you have at least one employee. Workers comp protects your employees and prevents them from suing you or your cosmetology business if they become ill or injured at work. For example, if your employee gets burned from a curling iron while styling a client’s hair, workers comp will provide medical treatment as well as income assistance while they are out of work.
Cosmetologist Commercial Umbrella Insurance
Most insurance policies have a coverage limit, where it will only cover a certain dollar amount. Commercial umbrella insurance will fill the gaps in your coverage, so that most or all of your costs are covered by insurance.
You do what you love and work hard at your job; protect your business and financial assets by obtaining adequate cosmetologists insurance to cover all of the risks associated with helping people look their best.
